[TheForge] Werk smart, not hard

[Bruce Freeman]

Jane,
Great anecdote.
Reminds me of one from early in my career as a chemist.
Think of glassware with glass side-arms (stub of heavy tubing).  A very
liberated (which was fine by me) female coworker needed to put a stiff
plastic tube onto one such side arm.  Difficult job, with a chance of
broken glass and lacerated hand if you slip.  Finally she gave up and
came to me for some muscle.  I'm afraid I embarrassed her a little when
I pulled out a hot-air gun and softened the plastic tube before slipping
it on, easy as you please!  As you said "Werk smart, not hard"!
Bruce
NJ

>>> dbest@hydro.mb.ca 07/18/03 09:07AM >>>
Hope ya'll fergive me if'n I ramble off on a little story...

Phlip wrote "I work with and encourage women in the craft, and the
first
thing I have to teach most of them is that women don't have the extra
upper
body strength guys do, generally- we can't afford to be sloppy or
casual.
Instead, we need to plan our moves more carefully, and use leverage
and
careful forethought, where most guys will sling their piece
wherever..."

Many, many years back, I hired on at a BIG factory as a millwright.
They
wanted somebody with electrical/'lektronic background (which waz me)
'n' I
waz to take over as afternoon-shift foreman after 2 weeks on days (to
learn
the lay of the land). The intent waz that they would add 4 to 6 more
millwrights on my sift as time went on.

Whal, I'll tell ya fellers! A lady millwright in heavy industry in them
dayz
waz 'bout as welcome as a fa#t in a elevator! Them big burly fellers
figgered I otta be home cookin fer a hubby 'n' a bunch o' kids instead
of
wranglin mechanicical stuff, hydraulics, 'n' so forth. T'weren't NONE
of 'em
willing to come on my shift with me 'n' "work for a woman"!

One of the jobs that came up periodically was to replace a 25 HP
electric
motor on a molding machine (of which there were 60). The motor sits on
a
ledge about 4 feet off the ground 'n' weighs many hunnerts of pounds.
The
normal method of swapping motors waz ta get 4 or 6 guys tagether 'n'
lift
the old one down 'n' lift the new one up 'n' pry it inta place with
crowbars.

When I went on to afternoon shift by myself, the first job on the list
was
to replace a dead motor. Now I could see the fellers hangin 'round the
maintenance office at the end of their shift, waitin fer me ta come
beggin
fer help. After disconnecting the shafts, mounting bolts, 'n'
'lektrical, I
went walkin toward the back of the plant knowin that at least six of
them
waz hangin out of the door of the maintenance office wonderin where in
he!!
I waz goin.

I come back with a lift truck 'n' a chain 'n' slung that motor off as
easy
as ya please; swung the new one up, positioned it, 'n' set 'er down
without
breakin a sweat.

Next day, when I come on shift, 3 of the fellers from day shift come to
talk
to me - they wanted to join my crew. I asked 'em why. They said, "We
figger
we been doin things the hard way for too long...." Gave me a smile,
that
did. Had meself one he!! of a crew.....

Gonna sign off fer awhile - switchin over from me work E-mule to me
home
E-mule - but we'll look fer ya'll again in a couppla days.....

Calamity Jane





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